Eressijbe-acttjatep mechanism for operating valves ob the like



P. H. HAMILTON.

PRESSURE ACTUATED MECHANISM FOR OPERATING VALVES OR THE LIKE.

' APPLICATION FILED FEB. 17. I919.

1 ,362,991 Patented Dec. 21, 1920'.

@M Am W,

PAUL n. HAMILTON, or CLEVELAND, orrro.

PRESSURE-ACTUATED MECHANISM FGR OPERATING VALVES 03 Specification ofLetters Patent.

THE LIKE.

Patented Dec. 21, 1920.

Application filed February 17, 1919. Serial No. 277,554.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, PAUL H. HAMILTON, a citizen of the United States,residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, haveinvented a certain new and useful Improvement in Pressure-ActuatedMechanism for Operating Valves or the like, of which the following is afull, clear, and exact description, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings.

This invention relates to an improved pressure-actuated device foroperating valve or other mechanisms, the same being especially suitablefor use in connection with so-called instantaneous water heaters forcontrolling the gas valves thereof so that when water is drawn from thesystem, which naturally causes an inflow of a fresh supply to theheater, it will actuate the device and cause it to open the gas valve tosupply gas to the burner in proportion to the amount of water flowingthrough the device; that is, in sufiicient amount to heat such aquantity of water during its passage through the circulating element;and the invention in one of its phases, pertains to the combination of apressure actuated device and a valve operated thereby.

The objects otthe invention are to provide a comparatively simple andaccordingly cheap device of the above character that is positive ofoperation under all degrees of pressure; is not likely to get out oforder; and wherein the working parts are easil Y accessible, forpurposes of inspection and cleaning, and without the need of disturbingthe elements of the system wherewiththe device is used.

A further object is to provide a pressure actuated device and fuelsupply valve, together with a support which serves to hold the deviceand valve in proper relation to each other, and which elementsconstitute a unit for incorporation in instantaneous water heaters thatwill supply fuel to the burner in direct proportion to the quantity ofwater flowing through the circulating coil or element; and a furtherobject is to con struct such a unit so that the individual parts thereofmay be readily withdrawn from the assembly without dismantling; thewhole.

The foregoing objects, and others which will become apparent as thisdescription proceeds, are attained in the construction illustrated inthe accompanying drawing which constitutes a part hereof and whereinFigure l is a more or less diagrammatic represen tation of a waterheater and a system in cluding the same, tion of my improvedpressure-actuated, valve-operating device; Fig. 2 is a sectional detailthrough the unit comprising the pressure actuated device, fuel valve,and the supporting element by which they are united; and Figs. 3 and 4are perspective views, respectively, of the piston and cylinder orguide, within which the piston operates, of the pressure actuateddevice.

While I do not restrict the use of my invention to the controlling offuel valves of instantaneous water heaters, the same is peculiarlyadapted to such use, as I have already stated and for that reason I haveshown it in such environment in the present illustration.

In the drawing, 1 represents the water circulating coil or element and 2a gas burner situated a suitable distance therebelow, and both areinclosed within a casing comprising a shell 3, top 4, and base ring 5.Water is admitted from a supply pipe 8, through the pressure actuateddevice 10 and connection 11, to the coil 1, and it is drawn olf througha pipe 12 which has applied to it a faucet 13.

The burner 2 is supplied with gas from a pipe 15 through a controllingvalve 16, the usual pilot 17 cutting into the supply pipe ahead of valve16.

Referring particularly to the sectional view of F ig. 2,the pressureactuated device 10 consists of a cylindrical casing that is dividedlongitudinally into what I shall term a supply chamber 20 and an outletchamber 21 by an internal, circumferential seat 22, and partscoiiperating therewith and which I shall presently describe.

he supply pipe 8 has connection, through a union 23,'with the inletextension 24 of the supply chamber; and the previously mentionedconnection 11', which leads to the circulating coil of the heater,communicates with the outlet chamber 21 through'the hol low boss 25 ofthe casing.

The outer or open end of the casing is internally threaded to receivethe threaded portion 27 of a cylindrical guide 28 that is designed to betightly screwedinto place by the application of a wrench or othersuitable tool, to the wrench receiving portion 30 thereof. The inner endof the guide is and showing an installa-' 36 has a trian ular sort 38the a Dex whereof 2: l a l is disposed toward the inner or closed end ofthe piston. Short pins 39' whichproject outwardly from the face ofthewah 36 are located on opposite sides of the port 38, restrict thepiston against undue angular movement by contacting with the end walls 7of the particular opening wherewith the port38 registers,and againstundue'long'itudinal movement by engaging the inner wall of sa d opening.

A red 40 is secured, as" by nuts '41, to the circular wall 37 of thepiston and the same extends outward through an aperture in the end wallof the casing and through an extension 43 thereof which serves as thebasic element of a stuthng box 45, The stuff ing box comprises a glandnut 46 that is threaded onto the extension and operates to force afollower 47 inwardly to compress the packing material 48 all ofwhich isin accordance with the usual practice. A spring-49, interposed betweenthe end wall of the piston 35 and the opposed wall of the casing tendsto retain the piston in normal position. 7 I v A bracket 50 is attachedto and depends from the base ring 5 of the heater and the aperturedendof one branch 51 thereof is applied to the extension 43 of devi e 10 andis firmly clamped against a shoulder 52 by a nut 53 that is screwed(into the threaded extension ahead of the gland nut 46;

i In identical manner, the casing of valve 16 is attahed to the branch55' of the bracket. A rod 58 extends through the stuffing box of thevalve casing and has connection at its inner end with the valve disk 60that is arranged to coiiperate with aseat 61. A spring 62, interposedbetween the valve disk and the opposed end wall of a cap 63that isthreaded into the side of the valve casing and is therefore adjustableto vary the tension of the spring, tends to hold the valve disk to itsseat; It will be observed 1 that, with the parts assembled as abovestated, the rods 40 and 58 will be in alinement. 7

Under normal conditions with the system closed, uniform pressureprevails on both sides of the. piston 35 within the supply and outletchambers 20 and 21, but as soon as there is a draft upon the system, aswhen the faucet 13 is opened, the pressure falls immediately within thesystem, and consequently within the outlet chamber 21, permitting thehigher pressure prevailing with in the supply chamber 20 andcommunicated through port 38 to the interior of the piston, to force thepiston towardthe left (as the parts are viewed in Fig. 2) against theaction of the spring 49. The movement of the piston in this directionwill, through rods 40 and 58, open the valve 60 and allow the passage ofgas to the burner 2 which is ignited by the pilot 17 to heat the waternow flowing through the coil or circulating element. The piston willmove only far enough to uncover and thus open port 38 sufficiently toreplenish the system with a quantity of water equal to that drawn off sothat the extent of movement of the piston is dependent upon the extentto which the faucet is opened. Likewise, valve 60 will be removed fromits seat a distance dependent upon the movea ment of the piston so thatgas is supplied in a quantity proportional to and sufficient to heat theamount of water flowing through the system. Upon reflection it will beseen that the amount of gas flowing through the valve increasesapproximately in proportion to the extent of movement of the valve diskaway from its seat. To provide for the same increase of water supplyover the longitudinal movement of the piston 35, the port 38 is made ofthe shape shown with its smaller end toward the advancing end of thepiston.

Attention is called to the fact that, when it is desired to clean thepressure'actuated device, or inspect its parts for any purpose, it isonly necessary to i1ns"rew the guide 28 from the casing and withdraw itand the piston endwise therefrom. The fact that the guide carries boththe screen and piston makes the cleaning operation extremely simple, forwith these parts removed they can be easily handled and thoroughly.

cleansed. r

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is p 1. In a deviceofthe character set forth, the combination of an open sided casing havingan inlet and o'ut-let,a member insertible through the open side of thecasing and hav 'r1l-'wm' 1-'1"'1 mg a paid aiiangec to c ose salc openside,

for dividing the easing into a supply chamber and an outlet chamberwherewith the inlet and outlet communicate respectively,

said member'having a part for closing the aforesaid opening, and anactuating element, serving normally as a barrier between said chambers,movably carried by the member and adapted to be shifted by pressurefluid within the supply chamber to permit communication between thechambers.

3. In a device of the character set forth, the combination of a casinghaving an open end and an internal annular seat situated between itsends, the casing having an inlet on one side of said seat and an outleton the other side thereof, a member insertible through the open end ofthe casing and having a part for closing the open end and arrangedwithin the casing to engage the aforesaid seat and divide the casinginto a supply chamber wherewith the inlet communicates and an outletchamber having communication with the outlet, said member having anopening through which said chambers may communicate, a screen coveringsaid opening and removable with said member, and a device movablycarried by the member and removable therewith and having a passageway,said element being adapted to be shifted by fluid from the supplychamber to a position wherein intercommunication is established betweenthe chambers through its passageway.

4. In a device of the character set forth, the combination of a casinghaving an internally threaded open end and an internal, annular seatdisposed between its ends, the casing having an inlet on one side ofsaid seat and an outlet on the other side thereof, a guide memberadapted to be threaded into the open end of the casing and having a partfor cooperation with the aforesaid seat whereby said member divides theeasing into a supply chamber and an outlet chamber wherewith the inletand outlet communicate respectively, said member having an openingthrough which said chambers may communicate, a screen covering saidopening and carried by and removable with said member,

and a hollow, open-ended piston reciprocable' within the guide andhaving a closed end disposed toward the outlet chamber, the side wall ofthe piston having a port through which communication is establishedbetween the supply chamber and its interior and arranged, when thepiston is shifted by pressure fluid from the supply chamber, to openinto the outlet chamber.

5. In a device of the character set forth, the combination of a casinghaving an internally threaded open end and an internal annular seatbetween its ends, the casing having an inlet on one side of said seatand an outlet on the other side thereof, a guide member adapted to bethreaded into the open end of the casing and having a part forcooperation with the aforesaid seat whereby ply chamber and an outletchamber wherewith the inlet and outlet communicate respectively, saidmember'having an opening through which said chambers may communicate, ascreen covering said. opening and carried by and removable with saidmember, a hollow, open-ended piston reciprocable within the guide andhaving a closed end disposed toward the outlet chamber, the side wall ofthe piston having a port through which communication is establishedbetween the supply chamber and its interior and arranged, when thepiston is shifted from her malposition by' pressure fluid from'thesupply chamber, .to open into the outlet chamber, and a spring tendingto maintain the piston in normal position.

6. An automatic valve unit for instantaneous water heaters organized ofa pressure actuated device comprising a casing divided into a supplychamber and an outlet chamher and having an inlet and an outletcommunicating respectively with said chambers, a piston reciprocablewithin said casing and having a passageway diminishing in area towardthe outlet chamber and through which intercommunication is establishedbetween said chambers when the piston is moved by pressure fluid fromthe supply chamber, a rod having operative connection with the pistonand projecting from the easing; a fuel valve comprising a casingincorporating a seat, a valve member for cooperation with the seat,means tending to seat the valve member a rod operatively connected tothe valve member, and projecting from the casing; and means uniting thepressure actuated device and valve casing with their rods arranged foroperative engagement with each other.

7. An automatic valve unit for instantaneous water heaters organized ofa pressure actuated device comprising a casing divided into a supplychamber and an outlet cham her and having an inlet and an outletcommunicating respectively with said chambers, a piston reciprocablewithin said casing and having a passageway diminishing in area towardthe outlet chamber and through which intercommunication is establishedbetween said chambers when the piston is moved by pressure fluid fromthe supply chamber; a fuel valve comprising a casing incorporating aseat, a valve member for cooperation with the seat, means tending toseat the valve member; an element uniting the pressure actuated deviceand valve casing, and operative connections between the piston and valvemember.

8. An automatic valve unit for instantaneous water heaters organized ofa fuel valve comprising a casing having an open side and a valve seatspaced inward from said open side, the opposite side of the cassaidmember divides the casing into a suping having a guide aperture, a valvemember for cooperation with the seat, a rod extending from the valvemember through the guide aperture, a plug closing the open side of thecasing, a spring interposed between said plug and valve member; apressure aotuated device comprising a casing having an open side andprovided with an inlet and an outlet, a guide member insertible throughthe open sideior dividing the casing into a supply chamber and an outletchamber wherewith the inlet and outlet communicate respectively, apiston reciprocable within said guide member and having a passagewaydiminishing in area toward the outlet chamher and through whichintercommunication 15 is established between the chambers when thepiston is moved by pressure fluid from the supply chamber, the side ofthe casing opposite its open side having an aperture, a rod projectingfrom the piston through 20 said aperture, and means unitingthe fuelvalve and the pressureactuated device with their rods arranged forengagement with each other.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my 25 signature.

PAUL H. HAMILTON.

